Jeungpyeong County in South Korea is organizing a 'reading marathon' as part of its efforts to promote reading culture, paying homage to the legendary reader Kim Deuk-shin. The event encourages participants to read books corresponding to the distances they run; specifically, each page read translates to 2 meters of running. Running course options include various distances such as 3 km for preschoolers, 5 km for elementary students, 10 km for youth and adults, up to a full marathon distance of 42.195 km. Participants can receive validation of their completed distance by submitting reading cards from various participating libraries in the area.

To finish the full course of the 'Kim Deuk-shin Reading Marathon', participants would need to read around 300 books of 71 pages each, or read 422 children's books of 50 pages each. Those who complete the marathon earn medals and enjoy an increase in the number of books they can borrow from the library for the following year. This innovative initiative not only promotes literacy but also acknowledges the great historical figure, Kim Deuk-shin, whose extraordinary reading habits inspired this unique combination of running and reading.

Kim Deuk-shin, who lived from 1604 to 1684, was noted for his extreme reading habits, having read texts thousands of times. His reading list included monumental works with an impressive count, like having read 'Record of the Grand Historian' by Sima Qian over 111,000 times. Such records highlight not only his dedication but position him as one of the most esteemed readers alongside the notable scholar Jeong Yak-yong, who praised him as unparalleled in diligence and excellence in reading. Through this event, Jeungpyeong County seeks to cultivate a strong reading culture while honoring their local historical literary figure.